Top 5 Movie Soundtracks of the Year So Far

Top 5 Movie Soundtracks of the Year So Far

Film and music are deeply intertwined. A beautiful soundtrack can drown out the dregs of subpar acting, or cheesy writing and make a so-so film seem spectacular. When a truly fantastic film is paired with the perfect score, that is when legendary moments in culture are created. When Uma Thurman and John Travolta twisted to Chuck Berry’s, “You Can Never Tell,”Pulp Fiction cemented itself into film history for the rest of time. Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore’s scene in Ghost single-handedly made the Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody,” one of the most romantic songs ever written.
2013 has seen some incredible movies already, and soundtracks seem to have drawn even more attention this year than ever. Perhaps its the star-studded collaborations between notable directors and music industry heavyweights, or perhaps something is just in the air. These are the Top 5 Movie Soundtracks of 2013 So Far. If you haven’t seen the films, check out the scores and something tells us you’ll be heading to the theatres the next chance you get.

1. The Bling Ring

Fashion, fame, fortune and felony come together for one diamond-crusted plotline in Sofia Coppola’sThe Bling Ring. After gaining a cult-like following for the soundtrack to The Virgin Suicides with collaborator Brian Reitzell, she called on him and Daniel Lopatin to help score her latest teenage drama. What better to accompany a group of teens plotting Hollywood robberies of stars like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan thank Frank Ocean’s, “Super Rich Kids?” The soundtrack also features music from artists like Sleigh Bells, Azealia Banks, Kanye West and Rick Ross.

2. Spring Breakers

It’s almost shocking that it took this long for Harmony Korine and Skrillex to pair neon-colored bikinis with blaring dubstep. Whether or not the actual film is your cup of tea, and whether or not dubstep is your sound of choice, experiencing the two together captures a poignant snapshot of a generation. Spoiler alert: in addition to the soundtrack, James Franco, Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez and co. do a piano-based rendition of Britney Spears’ “Everytime,” in the movie that truly does not disappoint.

3. The Place Beyond the Pines

With a star-studded cast including Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes and Bradley Cooper, this dark drama boasts a melancholy and beautifully complex original score. Composed by Mike Patton, the music for the motion picture includes five songs by other artists as well, including indie-darling Bon Iver.

4. Iron Man 3

Iron Man 3 grossed more than $1 billion USD, you can bet the soundtrack to go along with it is a high-value affair. Although Brian Tyler composed a dark and cinematic original score for the film, the accompanying concept album is what really shines after the final scene. The additional soundtrack titled, Iron Man 3: Heroes Fall – Music Inspired by the Motion Picture, includes songs by Passion Pit, Rogue Wave, Robbie Williams and Neon Trees.

5. The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby Soundtrack took music for film to an unprecedented level. Putting Jay-Z’s name on anything almost guarantees people will pay attention to it, but hype doesn’t always guarantee quality. In this case, Hova stepped in as Executive Producer to live up to every ounce of the excitement. From his own “$100 Bill,” to Lana del Rey’s “Young and Beautiful,” to Beyonce and Andre 3000’s remake of “Back to Black,” the multi-genre compilation made Baz Luhrmann’s film significantly better. After all, that’s what a great soundtrack is supposed to do.